Open-source robots and activities for teaching Digital Science
Poppy, an open-source robotics platform based on 3D printing, is used as a tool for teaching
With Poppy you can program robotics objects without needing to build the complete robot design beforehand. A wide range of possible educational activities including secondary school, higher education, various options and subjects can benefit from this tool.
To learn, create and teach using the platform, discover our website dedicated to education, www.poppy-education.org.
The platform accessibility enables teachers to create and to share educational and collaborative projects that meet two key characteristics:
- Integration of various technologies and methodologies: 3D printing, programming, electronics, machine learning algorithms.
- Connections and collaborations between different disciplines: engineering, science, design, humanities, art.
Poppy Education aims to create, evaluate and disseminate all-inclusive pedagogical kits, open-source and low cost, for teaching computer science and robotics.
Why?
To help young people to take ownership with concepts and technologies of the digital world, and provide the tools they need to allow them to become actors of this world, with a considerable socio-economic potential.
How?
In collaboration with teachers. Users and their needs are placed at the center of this project. The Poppy Education pedagogical tools are created with them and evaluated in real life by experiments.
Poppy Education is based on the robotic platform Poppy, from which it is possible to build different robots, including:
- Poppy Humanoid, a robust and complete robotics platform designed for genuine experiments in the real world and can be adapted to specific user needs.
- Poppy Torso, a variant of Poppy Humanoid that can be easily installed on any flat support.
- Ergo Jr, a robotic arm. Durable and inexpensive, it is perfect to be used in class.
Programming
Poppy robots are easy to program. Different options are possible based on students level and teaching objectives.
Python
Directly from a web browser by using Jupyter Notebook, an interactive terminal in a web interface for the Python programming language.
Snap!
The visual programming system Snap!, which is a variant of Scratch. Its features allow a thorough introduction of information technology.
You chose
C++, Java, Matlab, Ruby, JavaScript... Thanks to a REST API that allows sending commands and receiving information from the robot with simple HTTP requests.
Simulation
Poppy Humanoid, Torso and Ergo Jr robots can be simulated with V-REP. It is possible in the classroom to work on the simulated model and then allow students to run their program on the physical robot.